Alaska black bear, cubs steal kids’ lunch boxes

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Witnesses say a black bear and two cubs that have been frequenting midtown Anchorage stole several lunch boxes at a children’s day camp on the Alaska Pacific University campus.

Katie Adrian, program manager at the summer program run by Camp Fire USA, tells The Anchorage Daily News the bears wandered onto the school’s soccer fields Monday, soon after the campers ate lunch at picnic tables, leaving behind some snacks. The bears carried a few lunch boxes into the woods and dug in.

The bears weren’t aggressive and camp staff corralled the kids. After this, she says the campers will eat elsewhere and store their food indoors.

David Battle of the Alaska Fish and Game Department says there are no plans to remove the bears. He says the agency doesn’t consider them a public safety hazard.